Deep-Sea Creatures

Not surprisingly, human beings have rarely encountered the animals that dwell in the world's deep oceans in total darkness and under intense pressure. But recent expeditions, often with the aid of robots, have give us a new glimpse into the watery depths. It turns out that the adaptions that have allowed such species to thrive there make them resemble the stuff of our nightmares.

Considered living fossils, frilled sharks normally live at depths up to 5,000 feet (1,500 meters). This 5.3-foot (1.6-meter) specimen was found in shallow water in Japan in 2007, though like many deep-sea creatures, it died shortly after finding its way to the surface. A species with an even more terrifying appearance, the fangtooth fish, has been found at depths near 16,500 feet (5,000 meters).

深海动物　

照片展示的是皱鳃鲨，被称之为活化石，通常生活在海底5000英尺(约合1500米)的深度。这头鲨鱼体长5.3英尺(约合1.6米)，是2007年在日本海域发现的。与很多深海动物一样，皱鳃鲨在来到海面后不久便死亡。